The invention relates to the improvements in Cattle Guards and Crash Resistant Gates. Prior art has provided various configurations of Cattle Guards. “Cattle Guards” are horizontal grids at ground level built flush into a road surface, combined with a pit underneath the grid, the intention of which is to prevent the passage of livestock along the roadway. Livestock will not cross over a grid with visually open gaps; therefore the requirement for the pit below the grid.
Crash Resistant Security Gates in prior art are commonly configured as pop-up roadway barriers to stop and trap vehicles which attempt to crash through the gate.
A rural or suburban land owner with livestock and desiring a driveway security gate used in conjunction with a cattle guard, cannot use a Crash Resistant Gate due to the limitations of current art. The landowner is forced to use a conventional swinging or sliding gate, requiring the following equipment and facilities installation procedure extending over multiple days:                (1) Excavation of a pit in the roadway. Optimally this pit is lined with concrete to prevent subsidence of the pit walls, to prevent vegetation growth in the pit, and to provide a ballasting foundation for the passage of heavy vehicles over the cattle guard.        (2) The fabrication and placement of a grid over the pit.        (3) The fabrication and placement of a swinging gate to function in conjunction with the property fence to prevent vehicles passage. Optimally vehicle gates are combined with automatic actuators to swing the gate open/closed. Conventional Swinging Gates have no provision for energy recovery, so therefore commonly require moderate to large energy consumption (commonly large automotive style chemical storage batteries).        
In summary of prior art, a landowner is often required to be without the entrance to their property for multiple days during a conventional Cattle Guard/Security Gate installation. Prior art providing limited or no crash resistant security, and consumes more energy and fabrication materials versus the subject invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,370 to Heck attempts to combine these functions in an industrial/commercial setting through the use of multiple small swinging panels of which the full weight are manually lifted into the open and closed positions, and then secondly require manual locking in position. Furthermore, this prior art in application requires a multi-step site installation procedure if one desires more than a temporary installation of this gate so as to maintain an effective pit under the Cattle Guard.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,509 to Beaty provides a crash resistant gate with pit, but does not provide for livestock protection via a cattle guard and requires a large separate power activation installation.
The subject invention provides the following innovations over prior art:                (1) A Cattle Guard and Security Gate combined into one unique device.        (2) Gate activation energy recovery.        (3) Powered gate function integrated into the mechanical design of the invention.        (4) Unitized modular design with an integral pit/culvert.        (5) Provides a vertical structure via the Gate Posts to:                    a. Facilitate integration with adjacent security fencing            b. Protect and hide the activation mechanism            c. Provide mounting structure for solar panels and area lighting                        (6) Single gate panel provides taller, more visually effective barrier to traffic and foot trespass (prior art has short multiple panels due to manual lifting constraint).        (7) Less material usage (lower cost) due to:                    a. Swinging gate panel performing dual functions of gate panel and cattle guard            b. Less mechanical complexity due to panel hinging on one side only versus prior art with multiple hinges            c. No locking hasps or locking hardware required.                        (8) Modular installation versus 3 step prior art installation for permanent installations        (9) Elimination of manual “down lock” procedure in U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,370 to Heck        (10) Subject invention requires a single gate panel versus U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,509 to Beaty representing prior art in Crash Resistant Gates requiring multiple panels to separately block traffic and to protect the opening in the roadway.        
In addition, prior art is generally limited to industrial and commercial applications due to heavy gate panel manual lifting limitations, aesthetic limitations, and maintenance and site stability considerations.